Joseph bourse



@uiten tatts atrnt @fitta Letters Patent No. 82,201, dated September 15, 1868.

SKATE.

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TO ALL WI-IOM IT MAY CONCERNE M L Be it known that I, JOSEPH BOURKE, of Curraghleagh, in the county of Mayo, in that part ofthe United i Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, called Ireland, Esquire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Skates; and I do hereby declare the following to be `a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which anemade a part of this specification.

The subject of this invention is a skate in whicl the sole-clamp and heel-clamp are connected together, at any desired distance asunder, by means of a hook and a perforated plate, which adapts the skate for ready adjustment to suit feet of various sizes.

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a skate illustrating my invention. ,Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, partially sectional. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inthe two figures.l In fthe drawings, A is the runner, which may have any desired form. Bis the sole-plate, orthe plate upon which the soleof the foot is supported, the same having a rigid downward-projecting shank, B', which, being divided from the bottom upward to a point near its top, embraces the runners, and is capable of sliding backward and forward, to change the position of the sole-plate longitudinally upon the runner. A guide-bar, 6, riveted within'the shank B', and fitted to slide within a slot, a, in the runner, confines said shank to arectilinear path. The sole-plate B, whether circular, as represented, or of other suitable shape, is'provided at`its opposite sides with lips b b. j

C is a connecting-piece or plate, having more or less elasticity,- and an axial range of perfora'tions, c cie. D is a hooked rod, clinched or otherwise securely fastened to the heel-clamp D, and hooking into either ofthe holes c. The heel-clamp D is supported, in any position to which it may be moved, by the forward prolongatio'n El of the heel-plate E, which supports the heel when the skate is applied to the foot. The shank d of the heel-clamp D is tapped, to receive the screw F, which is mounted so as to rotate in the lugs G Gr. The collars ff prevent the screw F from moving longitudinally, sothat, when the screw is rotated, by means of a key applied to its square head, f', the clamp D, together with the soleplate B and its appendages, is drawn backward, so as to tighten the skate upon the foot. The heel-clamp D is held constantly athwart the skate, and confined to a longitudinal motion, in consequence of its square shank d occupying the slot e in the-prolongation E1 ofthe heel-plate E. The curved plate E2, rising from the rear edge of the heel-plate E, serves, conjunctively with the heel-clamp D, to secure the rear part of the skate to the foot, said plate Ez embracing and hugging the back of Athe heel, while the clamp D bears against the front thereof. The plate Ez has a horizontal spur, e, which, pene- I trating the heelat the back, prevents it from rising o the skate.

The heel-plate E, with its described appendages, is secured upon the runner by its riveted shank, E3, aided in this ofiice by the lugs G G. o r The operation vwillbe readily understood. To prepare the skate for application to the foot, the perforated plate C is disengaged, by a downward pressure, from the hooked rod D. The sole-plate B, with its appurtenances, is then slidden forward sufficiently toI admit thev foot, the heel-clamp D having been properly adjusted to accommodate the heel. The foot being placed upon the skate, the hooked rod D is connected with theiplate C, such hole c being engaged as willinsure the clamp D and sole-plate B coming to their tightening-positions or proper terminations of adjustment at the same time. The screw F being then rotated by a key applied to f', the effect is to draw backward the sole-plate B till its lips b firmly grasp the broad part of the sole, dnd at the same time to draw backward the clamp D till it rmly bears against the front of the heel, this action serving to eli'ectively embed the spur into the back of the heel. The hooked form of the lips b at top adapts them to rmly hold the sole down upon the plate B. i

Having thuisdescribed my invention, 'what I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Th'e combination of the perforated plate C and hooked rod D with the movable sole-plate B, lips IJ b', and heel-plates E E2, all arranged to operate substantially asand for the purpose herein described.

JOSEPH BOURKE.

Witnesses:

O; KNIGHT, i F. G. HELLEN, of the Oztg/ of Toronto, in the County of York, Canada, Student-at-Law. 

